After a 14-year hiatus professional surfing returns to Sydney next week with the Australian Open of Surfing at Manly. During the absence pro surfing has changed in many ways, most noticeably with the development of the Dream Tour concept. However, there appears a shift away from that idea in recent times with city breaks once again hosting competitions. Of course, the probablity of good surf is lower at the urban waves and the critics have been vocal in their disapproval.

But what of the Australian Open, will it score a surprise swell to silence the mockers or will the waves merely be 'contestable'?

The competition starts on the Saturday 11th with the womens and juniors surfing first (men begin on Monday 13th). At this stage the surf should be better than average for Manly standards on the opening day with 3 foot waves out of the E/SE - a good direction for Manly - with light offshore winds in the morning giving way to SE seabreezes.

Sunday should see the surf pick up a notch with 3 foot+ waves into the afternoon, also out of the E/SE. Again, winds should be offshore in the morning although a moderate E/SE seabreeze will come in before lunch making a mess of the surf.

Monday should then offer a fun mix of inconsistent E/NE groundswell from Tropical Cyclone Jasmine, with 2-3 feet of SE swell. The rest of the week looks to be made of SE and E/NE swell to 2 foot to occasionally 3 foot with light winds during the mornings.

We'll have another Australian Open of Surfing forecast later in the week.